The 9^th July Anniversary of 9 Years of misery in SPLM unabated corruption

For Immediate release                                                                                                  July 9^th, 2020

The People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) is reminded of dashed hopes, at the anniversary of 9 wasteful years of misery for the country and the people of South Sudan under the oppressive SPLM regime, that the country is continuing in a down spiral to implosion under the weight of ethnic wars, as law and order have taken a permanent leave of absence.

Ethnic armies, well and heavily armed have taken the law into their own hands, marching  to exact revenge attacks on each other. The state governments haven’t been formed either and drags on, and same old corrupt governors are back in business, unperturbed by public outcry to see them gone. President Kiir would have none of it to be responsive nor sensitive to public protest and anger at the recycling of corrupt and failed governors back into public office. The Governors for rigging staged elections are rearing their heads again, like it or not.

What achievements there are, if any, that Salva Kiir has something to show for his 9 years of misery for the country, causing it a senseless war in 2013, followed by another in quick succession in 2016, dithering on implementing any agreements he signed, merciless in ending the lives of his youthful opponents, and ever conspiring and scheming for rigging elections with his unloved and corrupt Governors!

The country needs South Sudan NADAFA Government which will put the Human & Peoples Rights first and the rule of law to guarantee and protect people exercise of legitimate political power over affairs of their existence and governance in a new social covenant which repairs our country’s social fabric for peaceful co-existence with each other.

The People’s Movement is determined to keep the lights on for ending 9 years of people’s misery under SPLM corruption

Dr. Hakim Dario,      

Chair, PDM,                         

press@pdm-rss.org

Communal violence and mayhem unfolds in Kapoeta, and Kills over 70 Innocent Civilians

Press Release for Immediate Release –                                                                                         October 7^th 2019              

The People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) has learned with great dismay that a grave communal violence and mayhem is currently ongoing in Kepoeta for months, taking away innocent civilian lives at an alarming rate, and is intensifying as we went to Press.

This is occurring while the Governor of the state, Mr. Louis Lobong Lojore is keeping a lid on the mayhem and censoring anyone from reporting it at the same time, including Ministers in the State Government.

The fresh reports reaching PDM from the State made a grim and gruesome reading of the communal conflict that erupted between the two neigbouring communities; Narim of Buya of Naita and Toposa community of Riwoto, which began in June and driven by revenge and counter revenge attacks between the two communities.

 The violence since has killed innocent women and children who became the target and victims of the revenge attacks, with a death toll now at peak of over 70 people between Riwoto and Naita Buya civilians who were killed and lost their lives so randomly.

In the last two days alone from 1st to 5th October, 19 more people were killed, including 5 women and 6 children. As we speak the revenge has widened while the State government under the inept and corrupt Governor Louis Lobong, appointee of equally corrupt President Salva Kiir, is silent, not moved an inch into any action to stop the unfolding mayhem in the state.

Earlier in April, Didinga villages in Ngauro were burnt down to the ground, believed to be by the Governor’s militia, to make way for Chinese companies of which Louis Lobong Lojore is reportedly a beneficiary and shareholder. A number of innocent people were killed. And while all this killing is going on in the state without accountability, the state government and authorities are silent, complacent and downright grossly irresponsible, carrying on business as normal as if these innocent lives matter not.

The Government of the State and that of Salva Kiir stand condemned for failure of duty to protect the human and peoples’ rights to life and security, while providing security and armed escorts and protection to the Chinese Kapoeta Investment Company in Napot-pot and Ngauro to line their pockets with silver and gold. It is sickening and PDM condemns Kiir and his corrupt pal Louis Lobong in the strongest terms possible, and equally urges the people to rise up and remove this kleptocratic and corrupt Government of Kiir that is without legitimacy.

Dr. Hakim Dario,

Chair, People’s Democratic Movement (PDM)

press@pdm-rss.org

Op-ed, October 1^st, 2019

By Laura Nunu (Lauranunu@gmail.com)

When I speak of Unity In Diversity, I speak of a law. It is a law of the universe which strikes me on my quest for THE TRUTH in regards to the  devastations and turmoils of our world today. It is in asking the hardest questions of all times which are, who are we? And what is our purpose in this world?; that I was brought face to face with the Law of our Unity In our Diversity.

The Law of Unity In Diversity

The Law of Unity In Diversity simply says that, there is Unity In Diversity because every single diverse entity is a unique essence of the whole. As simple as it is, it speaks of the entire diversity in the whole universe which is definitely beyond the scope of this article. But to make it more relevant, let us narrow it down to our human context. As  humans, we are a global diversity of Unity in our Humanity. As different as we are in all aspects of differences (age, gender, ethnicity, ability & capacity etc) we all belong to the animal kingdom of human beings, right? And it is in realizing and acknowledging ourselves as such, we can truly call and refer to ourselves as members of the human family. For it is in this simple TRUTH that our Sense and Essence of Humanity exists. And it is in this Sense and Essence of our Humanity that we are able to feel the pains of our fellow human beings, understand their concerns and extend a helping hand because we deeply understand and know intuitively, as well as intellectually, that they are the exact reflection of us! As such, their pains are our pains and their concerns are equally our concerns too. For indeed we are one human family in its diverse variables and layers of diversity. In Essence, WE ARE REALLY ONE because 99% of all the things which make us human are the same thing that is in each and everyone of us. It is only in the 1% of the things that differentiate us as individuals, as well as groups, that make us feel different.

This unique Divine Relationship makes it possible for us to relate to each other perfectly well. Because of it, we know whatsoever happens to someone can also happen to us and whatsoever someone is facing, we can face it too. And if we were in their shoes, we could probably do the same. As such, it is our moral obligations to see into it that they receive the Respect and Dignity they deserve as human beings created in the image of God; based on the TRUE values of humanity, under the disciplines of human rights. For it is in so doing that we can TRUELY call ourselves fellow human beings and restore our human image back to Humanity as God created us to be.

So, what happened? How did we break away from this simple TRUTH?

I will for the sake of simplicity borrow the notion of “Duality”, in realization of ourselves as different from “others”, which makes us create opposites of the same.Instead of embracing these differences and keeping them as forces of creations, we make enmity out of them at times for whatever reasons.

How can duality help us understand diversity?

Duality in realizing our differences gives us the opportunity to choose. You could argue that it is the basis of our FREEDOM OF CHOICE. Without Duality that creates variable options, there is nothing to choose from, right? Freedom of choice also means preference of choices. This preference of choices are results of our emotional attachments to the choice we make. Note that emotion is energy in motion (E+motion) However, there are limits within which these preferences of choices can function as ‘healthy choices’. And this limit is what Jesus said: Do unto others as you would like them to do for you!  This, in my opinion, is the secret code of contact for our choice making. Because, it is referring us to the acknowledgement that there is really nothing that you need, prefer or even deserve that is different from what your fellow kind/human need, prefer or deserve.

What is really different could be the time, place, and the context of the situations. But what happened is that we have created enmity from our ability to choose by polarizing everything! As such, every choice becomes, my choice or your choice with little or even no room for ‘US’. ‘US’ becomes those who have the ability and are in positions to force their will into others. As long as you are not equal in this confrontational relationship, you are not an ‘equal kind/human’. As such, we take advantage of those who are less in their ability and capacity than us. We exploit their ignorance and create classes of ‘they against us’. In these classes, we become the upper class of the most fortunate and they remain the lower class of less fortunate, with others in between. We do this with all kind of relationships we have with each other, whether explicitly expressed or implicitly. In so doing, we set up duality against each other to create enmity in polarity in which the gaps between they and us are wide open. As a result, being human becomes classes and groups of all layers of variables that we can come up with.

What does all this mean?

In order to understand what this means, you must understand how duality works. One could say that, there are two main forces of energy that create and maintain the entire universe. It is the energy of DUALITY. Duality is like the force of energy that contracts to the center and expands from the center, simultaneously. These mutually repulsive forces in one being, contracting and expanding, looks like it is kept in perfect order, perfect place and perfect timing as if for the continuation of existence!

In my opinion, this meaning of “Duality” in one entity, could serve as a foundation we need to make a revolutionary and break through in understanding of ourselves, firstly as fellow human beings and secondly as citizens and fellow compatriots endowed with natural and civil rights in our country or state on this home planet earth.  

How relevant is that?

To put it into context, we humans also function as a result of this basic Dualistic Energy. And there are two main distinctive energies that make the basis of our function, which are: positive and negative energies. Negative energy contracts and positive energy expands. As a single diverse entity, in this case, ‘ single human being’, we exist as a separate entity of a whole human family, nation or country, with the same capacity and ability as in the family of human beings or nation. This is possible because in Essence, what makes up a single human being are the same things that make up the whole family of human beings and the whole family of citizens in a certain country; of which dualistic energy is intrinsic to existence. In other words, this dualistic energy seems to exist in country beings or states too, as long as they consist of humans.

This also means, as a single diverse entity (a single human being), (a single diverse state) we are the center of our own universe, from which we expand and contract. For us to be in relationships with our fellow human beings or citizens of one country, it depends on our ability to expand to reach out and connect with others. In so doing, we create relationships and become more than oneself to be part of a group and be identified as such. In the same way, negative energy in the form of fear contracts us to ourselves and makes us feel small. Sometimes, even smaller than ourselves in which we feel less than of our kind/human or fellow citizens. For this expansion and contraction to occur, there must be a center from/to which it occurs.

So, where and what is that center?

I said earlier, as a newly born state, likened to a single diverse human being, we are at the center of our own universe individually, from which we expand to create mutual relationships with one another in that state, and indeed beyond it too, founded on human and peoples’ right. And we are also at the centre of individuality to which we contract, as a result of fear or search for peace. Physically, it is at the position of our hearts where most feelings are concentrated and felt, but not limited to it. Mentally, it is that space which gives us the Sense of our personality in what we call Self or Ego, from which we derive our identity. That means, as we expand to become part of a group, South Sudan NADAFA, we expand our space to create group self/ego and identity in the form of struggle for democratic transformation of our nascent state.

Depending on the energy dynamic of the context, we can expand as big as to become truly a National Alliance and Movement for Democracy and Freedom Action (NADAFA) as our group identity and figure, or contract to personal self only in search for peace with self. But the real TRUTH lies in our ability and capacity as individuals to expand and contract harmoniously between aspects of our relationships (as citizens or South Sudanese) in which we neither loose ourselves nor our group identity(s). It is in this balance, informed by Human, Civil and Peoples’ Rights that we can truly resonate with ourselves in our country, and the entire energy that creates the world’s ecosystem.  

However, in our contemporary state of South Sudan, we almost always know intuitively as well as intellectually whether we are in expanding or contracting relationships where we are feeling accepted and part of it or not. It is a reality that goes far beyond being just in relationship between oppressor and oppressed in our own country that is devoid of respect for Human dignity, Civil and Human Rights. It includes whether that relationship is in line with our Sense and Essence of Humanity or not. And this can only be assessed against the norms and values of our humanity based on the universal principles of Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Therefore, in order for us to create Unity In our Diversity in South Sudan, with all the layers of the variables that constitute our diversity, there can never be an alternative to Unity being based on the values of our Humanity and universally accepted principles of human rights. This is the reality we cannot escape in this 21st century where the world is becoming a global village.

This is the ONLY TRUTH that can bring us together and sustain us in our various functions as individuals, as well as members of various ethnic groups, political movements, and as a country. It doesn’t matter whether that group is our own small unit families, our tribe, nation or the whole global family of human beings. Why, because Humanity in its values and principles is the Sense and Essence from which we exist as human beings created in the image of God. Understanding ourselves as such, as well as functioning as such, is what can unite and sustain us as one people of one nation, who are also members of global citizens of this world we live in.

How does this fit in the context of South Sudan?

In our 50 plus years of struggle that took more than 3.5 millions of lives is a struggle against the false definition of ‘who we really are’. Our former oppressors wanted us to believe that, as diverse as we are, we are all Arabs and Muslims. Anyone who doesn’t identify themselves and function as such, is an outsider and must be treated as such. We resisted it until we voted for a country of our own, called South Sudan. Now, our new oppressors, in the faces of Salva Kiir and his Jieng Council of Elders, also want us to falsely believe that, as diverse ethnic groups as we are, we must all follow the traditional ruling system of the Jieng people and their Council of Elders, speak the Jieng language and surrender our land to them. Why, because they are the majority tribe, they liberated us, they are born to rule and they don’t follow others. We are again saying, No Mr. Kiir and your JCE! You got it all wrong! We voted to be South Sudanese, and we shall remain South Sudanese under the norms and values of Humanity; guided by the principles of human and people rights, which is the basis of our constitution, nothing less, nothing more! That you should know is the voice of South Sudan NADAFA, the voice of the people, and putting the people first.

South Sudan came to exist as an independent state as a result of collective efforts, which could be traced back to the very principles of human/people rights. It is because of these basic principles that unite us as members of ONE HUMAN FAMILY. It is because of these basic principles that we are taken in as refugees around the world because some people fought hard to uphold international values and law which says those who are unfairly persecuted receive equal treatment as human beings and to enjoy the same rights people equally enjoy in their various natural places or lands of origin. Governments of other countries contributed their finances and resources to help those people who are at a disadvantage, which makes a portion of their tax payers money is used wisely in good causes to assist other humans in need.

This support, whatever the interests the countries offering help have, are motivated by mutual relationships. It is in these basic principles that our neighbouring countries took us in, fought with us side by side and allowed us to use their resources and tried their best to make us feel at home in their homelands. It is in these basic principles that All the 64+ tribes of South Sudan resisted dominations and marginalization for 50+ years because they know intuitively as well as intellectually, that they have the rights to exist as a people, in their natural geographical land as fellow South Sudanese. The people of Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile joined the SPLM/A struggle for the same reasons because it is also their struggle. The neighbouring countries and the international communities extended out their helping hands and took us in as refugees, advocated for us so that our existence as people of South Sudan can be realized and acknowledged.

SO, WHO IS KIIR AND HIS JCE TO COME AROUND AND TURN ALL THESE EFFORTS TO BE ABOUT HIM AND THEMSELVES THE JCE?

And we in NADAFA stand by this simple TRUTH to ensure that our people of South Sudan are treated with respect and dignity; to enjoy their rights to expressions as people of various ethnic groups as well as people of diverse talents and opinions. To enjoy their rights to existence as people of diverse ethnic groups of the former Southern Sudan three provinces, in their various villages and districts as they stood on 1st of  January, 1956. Our people have the right to choose a system of government that reflects and answers their demand of which federalism (based on the three regions) is their popular demand. The people are the source of legitimacy and authority in decision making of how they are constituted to make a county they can finally call their own.

All this must be done under the TRUTH principles of human and people rights. Therefore, if there is any unity that will bring the people of South Sudan together to call themselves  ‘one people under one nation’, it is the unity of our diversity under the principles of human and people rights, period.

Why, because, this is the ESSENCE OF WHO WE TRULY ARE AND SHALL EVER BE: “THE GLOBAL DIVERSITY OF UNITY IN OUR HUMANITY; so says, the Law Of our Unity In our Diversity (LOUD)!

May God bless you and bless the people of South Sudan, Amen!

Three Federal States during Transitional Period in South Sudan

                                                                                                         November 16^th, 2018

Click to access three-federal-states-during-transitional-period-signed.pdf

The People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) would like to reiterate its position for laying down the foundation and roadmap to a genuinely just and sustainable peace in South Sudan, based on three Federal States during the Transitional Period. This approach gives power back to the people in the former autonomous regions of Equatoria, Upper Nile, and Bahr al Ghazal. It would also help to rebuild trust and start the process in earnest to repair the damaged social fabric and governance crisis in the country between all the 64 ethnicities of our peoples.

PDM had earlier during the HLRF process proposed People’s Regional Conventions in Upper Nile, Equatoria and Bahr al Ghazal to ensure participation of the people in all their 64 ethnicities in consultations and decision making processes to nominate and mandate their representatives to a Transitional Federal Government at regional and national levels. These regional people’s conventions would take place in the pre-transitional period in ample time, for the formation of the Transitional Federal Government of South Sudan (TFGOSS) at regional and national levels, in which all the 64 tribes and ethnicities would be fairly represented.

As it stands, R-ARCSS is devoid of people’s participation except for the elites of the incumbent SPLM-IG, SPLM-IO, SSOA elites and OPP elites, which makes the R-ARCSS exclusively elitist, clearly non-inclusive of all the 64-ethnicities, and falls short of addressing the root causes of conflict, and is thus far without legitimacy and authority of the people.

The National Dialogue Steering Committee on account of media reports (http://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article66607), now seems to echo and recognize the position of PDM throughout the HLRF process to be the more viable way forward, including proposals for rotational presidency between the peoples of the three former autonomous regions of Equatoria, Upper Nile and Bahr al Ghazal during the Transitional Period. The R-ARCSS that is sharing power between the elites at the expense of all the 64 tribes of our people is squandering another opportunity to reset the clock for a new start with the people fully onboard the driving seat in South Sudan.

The National Dialogue steering committee further decried SPLM failure but said nothing of its lack of legitimacy to rule by means other than the twin weapons of serial wars and agreements to stay in power as SPLM-IG or SPLM-IO. The people have yet to question why the SPLM-Xs should be rewarded to rule over the country rather than sanctioned for senseless wars of power struggle and corruption at expense of our people’s innocent lives.

The R-ARCSS needs to be re-opened to make it into a people-centric agreement, with 33% power sharing allocation to each of the three regions of Upper Nile, Equatoria and Bahr al Ghazal.  This would secure a realistic chance for a sustainable peace, and thus give a start to democratic transformation of the country in a strong Federal governance of the three regions by the people’s making. The country should not be held hostage to failed SPLM IG and IO rule for peace to prevail, and given the opportunity the people of Equatoria, Upper Nile and Bahr al Ghazal regional conventions may bring the stability that has eluded SPLM elites since 2011, including Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, the twin enduring symbols of corruption `and impunity in South Sudan governance.

PDM takes the opportunity once more to repeat its maiden call to our people in Upper `Nile, Equatoria and Bahr al Ghazal to forge a broad based socio-political National Alliance for Democracy And Freedom Action (NADAFA) in our country, to end SPLM impunity, lead democratic transformation to usher in a just and sustainable peace.

The proposals of regional conventions, through the power of the people, can transform and extricate South Sudan from the uninterrupted tyranny of the R-ARCSS elites rule, and who cannot be trusted with governance of our country for another three years. The country is for the people, not made for the elites rule.

Urgent recommendations to IGAD, AU and UNSC:

• Revisit R-ARCSS to open it up for a critical review to incorporate provisions for Pre-Transitional People’s conventions in Upper Nile, Equatoria and Bahr al Ghazal before start of the Transitional Period and its possible extension thereof
•  Revisit and review R-ARCSS to incorporate provisions for a federal governance system during the transitional period based on three regions and their colonial districts, which are well known and thus avoid the need for unnecessary imposition of the illegal 32 states in South Sudan
• Review R-ARCSS to incorporate provisions to address the root causes of conflict, justice and accountability
• Review R-ARCSS to limit undue influences or direct infringement upon the sovereignty and economic resources of South Sudan by foreign or IGAD sponsored regional powers, Sudan and Uganda in particular, not to be authorized as Guarantors by the UNSC
• Review R-ARCSS to lift the state of emergency, release of all abducted political detainees and prisoners of war, accountability for missing abductees, Agrey Idri and Samuel Dong who were kidnapped from Nairobi and whose fate still remain unknown

PDM calls upon the people of Equatoria, Upper Nile and Bahr al Ghazal as herein represented by the three shining stars, for NADAFA of their country from endemic impunity, misrule and corruption.

Let no one party rule, that is devoid of vision for the country and the people, ruin the new born that is our country and nation, united by the Nile, and by the promise of a bright future. However, the people must go to work for NADAFA of the country in the regional people’s conventions before it is too late to change direction of the country.

Chair, People’s Democratic Movement (PDM)

Press Releases:

Click to access what-pdm-stands-after-r-arcss-public-statement-signed.pdf

Click to access tgonu-starving-flawed-r-arcss-of-funds-press-statement.pdf

Click to access vote-of-thanks-for-ambassador-nikki-haley-us-representative-to-un-signed.pdf

Op-ed, 14^th September 2019

By Laura Nunu (Lauranunu@gmail.com)

The devil in the details of South Sudan war is driven by pride, greed and lust over power and land. Why? Because the unwritten notion among South Sudanese is that: whoever is in power controls the land and its resources; and whoever controls the land and its resources controls the people and their land. And yeah! whoever controls the people and their land is powerful! And being powerful in this case also means, one is above the law. As a result, acting with impunity is seen normal because it expresses ‘being powerful’. This is obviously, the unspoken bitter truth that is in the core of this war, right? If that is the case, is this not indirectly, slavery of the highest order?

So, then the questions that follow: is this not what we had been fighting against in our 50+ years of struggles that took more than 2.5 million lives? Where is us; the so called people of South Sudan who voted overwhelmingly for a country we can finally, call our own? Where is ‘the first class citizenship’ SPLM preached about? What about the idea of taking towns to villages? The truth of the matter is: we are cheated of our votes and all these empty promises died with Dr. John. Salva Kiir in his unfortunate position as president is now the new slave master in SPLM uniform, this time under the slogan of ‘in the name of my tribe’.

As a result, tribalism, nepotism and looting with impunity is another way of empowering himself and his tribe to take control over the country and its people. Dr. Riek who dwelled in the same mentality is seen as a threat due to his/ tribe potential in rally after him to take over South Sudan. And that was exactly how this war played out, power struggle, right? That is why Riek is always accused of being greedy and in hurry because he couldn’t wait for his turn??? That is why both men were able to recruit tribal militias to fight for them. That is why we are polarized along tribal lines and finally, that is why both men are only interested in making ‘positions deal’ other than working for a real peace deal that will unite the people of South Sudan.

But is that all? Why then both men are desperate for power? What about the ethnic cleansing projects? How is it even possible to recruit militia ‘in the name of my tribe’? And why is 1991 campaign in the onset of this war was a relevant song?

The truth is, underneath this power struggle is fear, anger, humiliation, hatred, tribal revenges and grudges of the past histories and events which were not completely resolved. Why, because of long held practices of being above the law, killing with impunity and taking law into one’s own hands; which are seen as exercise of power over others that has become vicious circles.

Then the real questions are: what has that got to do with the rest of us? Why do we have to be part of something that we don’t have a clue about, to begin with? Above all, how can we build a country that we can all call our own when the so called leaders and their supporters have tribal grudges to resolve and are desperate for power because they want to be the ‘new slave masters’ of the people of South Sudan?

On 9/9/2019, we were treated to ‘Breaking News’: the return of Dr. Riek Machar to capital city, Juba!

How is the return of Dr. Riek to Juba relevant to us? In other words, what will it do to the average South Sudanese person? Are we really South Sudanese or bunches of tribes that find themselves in a geographical area, now called South Sudan? Can we really have a country that ‘we all’ can call our own? Is there really unity in our diversity? What is it and what does it really mean to be ‘a South Sudanese of diverse ethnic background’?

At this point I concurred with Albert Einstein who said, “Problems cannot be solved with the same mind set that created them.”

It’s time to look outside the box to put the people first, not the corrupt elites, for true South Sudan NADAFA from impunity and domination by the power hungry tribal elites.

God bless you and God bless the people of South Sudan!

Op-ed, 7^th September 2019

By: Laura Nunu (Lauranunu@gmail.com)   

After five decades of war, suffering and instability, South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9^th, 2011. But only after two years of independence, it was plunged into civil war with itself, the most brutal and genocidal and gravest human rights atrocities the world had seen recently. Since the conflict started in December 2013, more than 4 million people have fled their homes, with 2.47 million taking refuge in neighboring countries. Close to 200,000 people are living in six UN “protection of civilians” sites across the country. Seven million people in need of humanitarian assistance, most of them faced acute food shortages (South Sudan, Human Rights Watch 2019).

The question that is in everyone lips is: they are as dark as night, and have just separated from what they called ‘Muslim-Arab domination and discrimination’ then why are they fighting?

To answer this question, we must dig deep into not only the historical struggles of the South Sudanese people, but also deep into the tribal and ethnic power struggles of co-existence as different ethnic groups or nations. But most of the time, the answer given to this question is dismissed as political power struggle in the SPLM party between the President, Salva Kiir and his Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, leaving the root causes of the problems untouched. And the genocide that resulted from targeting the Nuer tribe at the onset of the conflict is said to be due to groups loyal to the President and his Vice.

Is that really the case? How can a power struggle between two political leaders of one ruling party (SPLM) end up in genocide of innocent civilians along tribal lines?

What had this power struggle to do with innocent men, women and children from Nuer massacred on 15th, 16th and 17th December 2013? And what of the aftermath massacre of Dinka men, women and children in Upper Nile and Bahr El Ghazal?

What about those men, women and children killed in Wau in 2012? What about the men, women and children killed and chased away from their ancestral land of Greater Equatoria, Upper Nile and Bahr El Ghazal? What about all the raping of both male and female some of who are as young as five years of age? Are all these also loyalties of these two men?

What about the land grabbing issues that is evident all over the country? What about all the looting and burning of villages that are common events of this war? What about the tribalism, looting state resources with impunity and dominance of most government institutions by mainly two tribes? What about the recruitment of tribal militias? Are all these events isolated or related? And above all, the million-dollar question is: what is the power struggle all about?

For us to move forward, we need to be persistent and consistent while making progress. As a people, we have made quite tremendous achievements in understanding the issues of our country. Thanks to the technology of 21st century! Together with our global concerned citizens of South Sudan (both inside and outside the country), and others who took our issues into their own hearts, either professionally or personally, self-appointed journalists and presenters of live shows and their committed audiences, grass-roots green Facebook politicians, veteran politicians and all other media outlets, we have arrived to few solid conclusions, which I would like to highlight as follows:

We all now come to a realization that we are cheated of our vote! The South Sudan that we all voted for overwhelming is hijacked by a tribal elites. President Salva Kirr became a tribal chief, using tribal militia to cling to power. Our dream country is turned into a total nightmare of hell on earth.

SPLM/A as we know of doesn’t exist. They split up into pieces and failed to re-unite. The party Secretary general, Pagan Amum, resignation said it all. There are no functional institutions, as well as legitimate government under Kiir Mayardit. What we have in Juba are self-appointed tribal groups, aka Jieng Council of Elders JCE, operating in the name of ‘my tribe’, politicians who are only representing themselves in a ‘fake’ political party called SPLM and ghost national army which are purely tribal.

The vision of a new Sudan died with Dr. John. Salva Kiir did not adopt that vision because he had different hidden vision and manifesto for South Sudan. The CPA brought to us in ‘a golden plate’ had a very dirty hidden agenda, which turned our dream country into a total nightmare. As such, its implementation failed short of expectations. By creating JCE, Salva Kiir literally, hijacked our country for himself and his tribe. He created tribal hegemony with him as a king. As such, we are back to square one: identity crisis, wars/crimes, and unspeakable human rights violations, lack of development, leading to economic melt down. It will never be an easy ride and possible for Salva Kiir and his JCE regime to scoop only for themselves the collective efforts of 64+ diverse ethnic nations, that are known of their resilience against oppression for at least 50+ years, which caused them more than 3.5 million lives, for oneself and their tribe. Kiir’s JCE plan evilness at its core!

Now that we are back to square one, what next?

To cut the long story short, a lot had happened since 2013. New revolutionary movements had emerged some with their military wings, others are not. At the moment, there are two broad alliance grouping of oppositions: National Alliance for Democracy And Freedom Action (NADAFA) and South Sudan National Democratic Alliance (SSNDA). The latter had joined last week a new alliance with two more groups: Real-Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (R-SPLM) and South Sudan United Front to form South Sudan Oppositions Movements (SSOM). SSOM, the new group of (one existing alliance with other opposition entities) professed to work for genuine change, although they differ in their ways of bringing that change. Each alliance entity or opposition entity in the new formation still retained its identity and independence, and agreed a number of broad principles and objectives for collaboration between them.

We in South Sudan NADAFA have clearly articulated the principles and objectives of the alliance which are premised on the core fundamental human and peoples rights, political, social, cultural and economic rights, and believe that the problem of South Sudan is reflective of our diversity. As such, it cannot be confined to one approach or one school of thought. It requires a holistic approach from all schools of thought in statecraft and state formation principles that we are expected to uphold as blueprints as do our local and global South Sudan NADAFA partners.

No one group of revolutionary movements, civil societies, political parties and others can claim monopoly of ownership or technical know how of bringing a real change to our country. It needs all of us and it will take all of us to bring that change. Why, because we are experts of our own experiences and existence. You cannot talk of life on the streets unless you had lived on those streets or have loved ones living on those streets. You cannot talk of lack of medical facilities without context and knowledge of the real experience our people suffer daily, week in week out in their life or the lives of those in their community with little poor to non-existent health and medical facilities for them to enjoy the minimum expectations of the right to good health.

You cannot talk of poor school unless your children are in those schools, and so on and so fort. And almost all of us got those experiences in one way or another. As such, it is time we do something about it by listening to the voices of our people who are in the heart of it, right now! Our people are speaking and they have spoken many times in many ways but are we listening? What are we doing as groups who claimed to represent them? And even better, how do we amplify those voices to give one clear message?

We in South Sudan NADAFA embrace a bottom up approach of government system where the real power of governance is people driven. We look forward to a real people-centric government of the people, by the people for the people, which derives its authority, power and legitimacy from the people, not from the political elites. As revolutionary movements, we are therefore obligated to listen to our people and echo their voices, unlike Kiir JCE government that only produces Presidential decrees to dictate his agenda and that of his cohorts down our throats with impunity and against the will of the people of South Sudan.

Kiir in his unfortunate position as a President is only interested in issues that sound good to his ears and that only fulfill his/cohorts interest, even if he initiated the approaches. If Kiir were a real President of all the people of South Sudan, he would have avoided this senseless war, which he himself regrets but initiated. He would have adopted and acted on the resolutions of Equatorian Conference 2011, which represented a popular consultation of the people of Equatoria at the time, contrary to his illegal 28-states establishment decree, which had no popular consultation at all, neither in Upper Nile, Equatoria nor in Bahr al Ghazal.

The National Dialogue (which he initiated) made recommendations after consultations to return the country to the former three regions of Southern Sudan under a federal governance system with three regions as federal states. Kiir would have adopted those recommendations to move the country forward but he didn’t.

 The recent regional conferences of Bahr El Ghazal, Upper Nile and Equatoria are designed to give Salva Kiir green light to proceed with imposing his 32 tribal states in South Sudan against the wishes of our people.

At this juncture, we can only appeal to our human consciousness and moral obligation of doing the right thing, every time and anywhere, in our various capacity and ability as South Sudanese as well as parties to alliances. As such, we are calling on the people of South Sudan inside and outside the country to double their efforts in (NADAFA) and cleaning up our regions of Bhar El Ghazal, Upper Nile and Equatoria from Kirr’s tyranny regime of tribalism, nepotism and ruling with impunity.  The opposition needs to ensure that our people do not fall into Kiir’s trap of turning those regional conferences as Trojan horses for imposing the JCE inspired 32-states.

The onus is upon all different revolutionary movements, civil societies and other professional/non-professional groups, locally and internationally to echo and reinforce South Sudan NADAFA for a new beginning to return power back to the people of South Sudan. The onus is on all the opposition groups to amplify the struggle to end impunity, loud and clear, and Kiir Must Go.

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                       July 17, 2019

The South Sudan National Alliance for Democracy And Freedom Action (NADAFA), a grassroots coalition of like-minded political parties, interest groups and individuals across the world who call for a Federal system based on three autonomous governments representing the peoples of the country’s three regions of Bahr al Ghazal, Upper Nile and Equatoria pays special tribute to Professor Leonzio Angole Onek. As a young adult and student, Professor Onek received a baton from his father, a veteran of the First Sudanese Civil War, also known as the Anyanya Rebellion or Anyanya 1 and others seeking full rights for ordinary South Sudanese. He ran an exceptional race, finished the course and kept the faith until he left us on July 10, 2019 after a short illness in Kenya.

The Anyanya Rebellion that Professor Onek’s father fought in was a conflict between Northern Sudan and Southern Sudan that protracted from 1955 to 1972 when a peace agreement was signed. After a short hiatus from 1972 to 1983, another war broke out again between the two sides and lasted until 2005 when a second agreement was signed which eventually led to Sudan breaking up into two with South Sudan becoming the world’s newest country on July 9, 2011. Two years after South Sudan joined the community of nations and became a sovereign state, conflict erupted within the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army followed by genocide against unarmed civilians and a brutal war that continues unabated.  

Determined that victory was the only option to free the masses of South Sudan from unprecedented cruelty by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army, Professor Onek responded to a clarion call to join the People’s Democratic Movement, which affiliated with the South Sudan National Alliance for Democracy And Freedom Action (NADAFA) and continues to mobilize against tyranny.  NADAFA is deeply saddened about the passing on of Professor Leonzio Angole Onek while continuing to mobilize against the same cruelty that led to his death. The coalition offers profound condolences to Dr. Onek’s family, the people of Magwi, all of Acholiland, the people of Equatoria and the masses of South Sudan who have been robbed of an outstanding campaigner.  Dr. Onek departs at a time when the masses of South Sudan need his academic prowess and impeccable communication skills the most. He will be profoundly missed by NADAFA as it gains momentum in its determination to free the masses of South Sudan from autocracy.  

In addition to being a fearless advocate for the ordinary masses of South Sudan, Dr. Onek will always be remembered for extending a hand in the negotiation and search for peace between the Lord’s Resistance Army and the government of Uganda. He will be greatly missed by former colleagues and students at various universities in Kenya where he taught Biochemistry and the University of Juba where he served with enthusiasm as Dean of Applied and Industrial Sciences before he was falsely accused of being an adversary of the tyrannical government of South Sudan and jailed for an extended period in dreadful conditions without being charged. While in illegal detention, Dr. Onek suffered severe hardship and torture, resulting in ill health. Upon his release from unlawful incarceration, Dr. Onek fled to Kenya where he continued advocating on behalf of his suffering people of South Sudan until his untimely demise on July 10, 2019 a few hours after the 8^th anniversary of the South Sudan independence he, his father and others sacrificed so much to attain.    

South Sudan NADAFA mourns the loss of a hero who spent a substantial part of his life finding solutions for peace in South Sudan and looking out for the welfare of his suffering people. A personification of extraordinary brilliance, NADAFA will be hard pressed to find someone of Dr. Onek’s caliber but his spirit lives on in the people he touched during his time in this temporary world. South Sudan NADAFA takes this opportunity to thank Professor Onek’s family, his wife Judith Kassara Okumu and her children in Kenya and his wife Angela and her children in the United Kingdom and other family members for the privilege of sharing Dr. Onek as a friend, colleague and avid advocate for peace, justice and fairness.

Rest in eternal peace now Dr. Onek, as NADAFA receives your baton and commits to keeping your candle burning until the masses of South Sudan cross the finish line in fulfilment of our shared conviction about power belonging to the people and not to the elites.

Farewell Professor Leonzio Angole Onek!